Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Draco to Severus
by Mokimo
Summary: This story started because I was given a prompt from a fortune cookie. Draco complains to Severus, but it's Severus who receives the true insight. got rid of my paragraph spacing, sorry!


Prompt:

"You have a deep understanding of other people's needs and feelings."

Series: Harry Potter

Rules: Cannot be focused on Golden Trio, prompt must be used as a quote between Draco and Severus.

.One shot.

Draco was in an extremely foul mood and a rising tension headache was not helping. Moodily, he skulked through the Hogwarts corridors until he came to the office of Severus Snape. Slipping inside, he was immediately grateful for the peace, quiet and lack of other people save Severus.

The man in question stood at his desk, categorizing ingredients and making notes on prepared lesson plans. Draco was five seconds away from a huff of annoyance over being ignored when he heard a soft, "And what brings you to my office, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco let out a grin in spite of himself, choosing to let the gesture replace shaking his aching head. Severus' sameness was refreshing. "I have a headache."

Severus wiped his hands on his robes and turned to face Draco. "I see that obviously fooled your sense of direction, as this is my office and not the health wing."

Draco sighed then, settling himself into a chair. "You know I hate going to Pomfry, Uncle Sev. Besides, you're the one who makes the health potions anyway."

Severus turned back to his ingredients, hiding the fact that the corner of his mouth was twitching, wanting to smirk at Draco's antics. "You have enough intellect, I am sure, to realize that my being your godfather does not, in fact, make us related?"

Draco began to speak but Severus interrupted him.

"Furthermore, while it is true that I make the health potions for the castle there is a reason they are kept under Madame Pomfry's very capable eyes in the health wing as that is where they are meant to be administered." With these words, he turned to Draco and handed over a small vial. The vial's contents were quickly downed, the aftertaste begetting a grimace from Draco and, in turn, the smallest of smiles from Severus. Both grimace and smile were quickly concealed.

"Now; what is the real reason you're here?" Severus asked, relaxing ever so slightly in the presence of his godson.

Draco launched into a tale of boring classes, idiotic friends and the fact that he had bumped into Potter's fanclub in the hallway. He expressed his depression over people not seeing his true worth – his intelligence and cunning. He complained, not for the first time, that his future had been decided not by himself, but by his father's reputation and Potter's disinterest. Finally, relaxed by the edges of his headache fading away and by bearing his burden, Draco slumped into his chair in defeat.

Severus paused after Draco's words, digesting the information and pondering how to respond. Most of the rant had been heard before, but he suspected there was something in the jumble of words that was more deeply affecting Draco now. Something that needed reassuring. "When you were five—" he started.

Draco looked up, perplexed.

Severus continued. "When you were five, you had the utmost determination to find out what you would be given for Yule. For one week, you snuck through the house like a house elf, barely detected, following your mother like a chick does a hen." He paused to be sure he held Draco's focus. "Your father complained that your behavior was ill-fitting of a Malfoy but I argued that the ambition and cunning you were employing were highly-sought after traits of any Slytherin."

Once again, Draco looked up to Severus, various emotions fighting to break through the Malfoy mask.

Severus gave a rare smile. "You proved at five that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. I've had no reason to believe this changed."

Draco smiled at his lap, slowly shaking his head. "If what I have is determination…" He looked up at Severus. "You…You have a deep understanding of other people's needs and feelings. You always have." With that he stood up and walked to the door. "Thanks for the potion Uncle Sev." Then he was gone.

Severus stared blankly at the closed door. Him? A deep understanding of other people's needs and feelings? He walked to abandoned desk, taking a key out of his pocket. After a brief look around the room and a settling exhale, he unlocked the topmost drawer on the left. From the drawer, he pulled out a small leather-bound diary. Ever so slowly he opened the diary and let his fingers flutter through the pages. Near the middle of the diary was a single dried lily.

"It's time." He announced to himself. "Good-bye, Lily." A single tear ran down Severus' cheek as he suspended the lily in mid-air.

"Incinerate."

~Fin~


End file.
